


Muse

by orphan_account



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Artist AU, M/M, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-12
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-12-01 09:52:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11483898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: A bad assignment, a sketchbook, an artist, and a hot stranger on the train. Jesse is bound for a hell of a ride.





	Muse

The train came to a screeching halt, making Jesse look up from his sketchbook. People started moving through the doors accompanied by the tinny voice coming from the speakers. The woman sitting in front of Jesse suddenly closed her book and rushed towards the exit, barely making it through in time. Must’ve been a damn good book, Jesse thought. He looked at the page he had open, adorned with sketches of the woman in three different angles, the fourth one not any further than the outline of her head. With a soft sigh, he ripped it out, bunching the page together and shoving it to the bottom of his pocket.

The assignment he had was simple. Get on the metro. Find a stranger with a face that piqued his interest. Draw them as fast as he could, getting all the unique features down. Time was the most important factor: he didn’t know if the person will get off at the next stop or if their destination lied beyond the terminus. “A way to speed up your drawings,” the professor had said, “since you’ll never know when inspiration strikes.”. Jesse had hated the task when he got it, Jesse hated it now. A dirty train that smelled like piss. He was inspired to get off, rather than draw.

He leaned back and tapped the end of his pencil against the empty page of his sketchbook, scanning the new faces. It wasn’t rush hour yet, but people were starting to get home from their schools and jobs, early for whatever reason. A group of men in suits had occupied the middle of his carriage, discussing what Jesse assumed to be a big upcoming contract. The topic was boring, he decided, and so were the people. He moved on to the rest of the newcomers. There were two school kids sitting a couple of seats ahead, but Jesse ruled them out immediately, refusing to draw unfamiliar children. A woman in a plain red outfit, probably working in a fast food restaurant. A natural sharpness to her face that Jesse appreciated, but not what he was looking for. Quickly looking through the rest of the people, Jesse realized that she was the most fitting candidate at the moment. 

He adjusted the pencil and drew a careful line over the paper, hoping to capture the peculiar position she was in as accurately as possible. Jesse didn’t get further than that before a man bumped into him, making his hand falter. He sat down in the seat in front of him, mumbling an apology. The man seemed more interested in his phone than him. Jesse had only caught a glimpse of his face, distracted by his annoyance before diving back to the sketch, but his eyes shot up the moment he realized how good the man looked.

Oh, that man was perfect. His phone gave off some additional light to accent his angular face, cheekbones almost too sharp to be real. He had a groomed goatee and a frown on his mouth, seemingly unhappy with what he was reading. Jesse glanced at the train window, trying to see the reflection of his phone. Emails? Whatever it was, it wasn’t any of his business. He focused his attention back on the impossibly handsome stranger, knowing that there was no time to waste.

Jesse started drawing right next to the failed line, hoping to look inconspicuous. He glanced over his sketchbook. The man was still busy with his mail, typing something now. His look of disapproval was replaced with annoyance. Encouraged, Jesse returned to his sketch. The man had an expressive face, making it hard for him to get everything down just as it was. His eyes were so brown that they looked black, strict, but warm. He was well kept- his eyebrows were sharp and his hair looked like it was just cut, the shaved sides still short. Jesse ran his hand over his overgrown beard, suddenly self-conscious about his own messy look. There wasn’t a single hair out of place on the man’s face. The man was rich, Jesse knew it. His grey coat was unbuttoned, revealing a tailored black suit underneath. There was some fur stuck at the bottom of it. He must’ve had a pet and missed a spot while brushing the hair off. His whole attire was flawless, from the crimson tie to the black leather shoes. Everything about the man radiated order and sharpness. What caught Jesse’s attention the most were the thin scars running across his face, partially hidden by his facial hair. It added depth to the man who had seemed clear as a day at first. Jesse made sure to get those all down.

One by one, the page was filled with sketches of the stranger. He had pocketed his phone a few stops ago, now staring out of the window. Jesse guessed that he was either deep in thought or zoning out, considering that there was nothing to see other than concrete walls and the occasional stations. He wasn’t complaining though, since it gave him more angles to admire and draw. His hand flew across the paper, outlining the strong features, lazily shading it to convey his dark skin. It felt natural, as if he was a born model.

Soon, Jesse had the sketches he needed, quickly scribbling his signature and the date underneath. His professor had told him once that it wasn’t necessary, considering that his talent was only known for a few people that all knew him personally. He did it regardless. It was validating, in a way. Jesse closed his sketchbook and shoved it into his messenger bag, placing the pencil in a pouch next to it. He closed his bag, leaning back in his seat. Without the sketchbook to conceal him, there was no way he could stare at the man like he did before. A shame, really, considering how handsome he was. He was the polar opposite of the broke college student sitting in front of him, drawing random people on the train for a grade. Jesse couldn’t put a finger on what was so attractive about the man other than his good looks. His mere presence seemed to lure him in, leaving him dazed. Jesse’s mind was racing ahead of himself, making it hard for him not to stare. He looked straight ahead, hoping to leave the impression of zoning out, looking at nothing in particular. The man didn’t seem to notice, however, still focused on the uneventful view.

The announcer said the name of another stop and the train slowed down. To his disappointment, the man stood up, patting his pocket to make sure that he still had his phone and picking up his expensive-looking leather bag that Jesse hadn’t noticed earlier. He made his way to the doors, waiting for the train to cross the last meters to the station. Jesse marveled his features that weren’t as prominent while he was sitting. He was humble about his own height, still acknowledging that he was quite a bit taller than others. The man seemed to be his height, if not taller, towering over the other passengers. His tailored clothes accentuated his fit build. The bag was dragging his shoulder down, resulting in a slightly crooked posture. That small fault aside, his body was as attractive as his face. Jesse’s fingers itched for his pencil, now tucked away in his bag, desperate to capture him as he was now, leaning against the post, looking forward at the lights of the station.

The doors opened and people started leaving the carriage. The man was in no rush, however, letting the rest of the passengers ahead. The man turned back to look at Jesse, making sure that he knew what he had been doing. Just like that, with a wink and a smile, the man was gone and Jesse was left behind. Fuck. Jesse was toying with the idea of running after him, asking if he could draw him again, finding out more about him. What’s the worst that could happen? Carpe that diem, or whatever it was. All he needed was... courage. Jesse leaned back, letting his head drop against the top of the seat, and sighed.

The announcer’s voice ripped him out of the dream-like state he was in, eyes closed, mind anywhere but there. His stop. Jesse wasn’t sure how he ended up back where he came from, but really, there was no point in complaining. He joined the people waiting next to the doors, including the fast food lady he attempted to draw earlier. She was probably a student as well, then. Jesse couldn’t recall ever seeing her before. He glanced at her, unable to believe that she was almost the model for his project. With a soft ding, the doors opened, and Jesse left the train.

**Author's Note:**

> English is not my first language and this is mostly unbetad so there may be mistakes. This has been sitting in my drafts for a while and I am unsure if I'm going to continue this but I'm willing to give it a shot if there's demand for it! Feedback is appreciated.


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